Zel's Motoring Adventures...Volvo, Renault, Rover, Trabant, Invacar & A Sinclair C5 - Updated 13/11.

[LightBulbFun]

slightly* off topic, but @Zelandeth  weren't  you looking for one of these or at least proof that yes they did actually exist?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274787267537

its going for stupid money sadly but figured id post it so you can at least note down the Model number and grab the pictures

(although IIRC the ones you saw also had a 60W~ GLS crammed in there to provide some instant light while the SOX lamp warmed up? or something such)

[Zelandeth]

Holy hell that's expensive - but yeah, useful to see that the Thorn Escort form factor did officially exist in SOX form.

The one I saw had an incandescent lamp in the dead space below the main lamp holder - but I've no idea what form factor that was - can't have been a massively high wattage given the proximity of the plastic diffuser. Possible it was based around a slightly longer chassis too.  Though not sure where that would fit in the range.

The other possibility which springs to mind is that it might have been based around a 10W SOX - though given how poorly that did I'd have been surprised to see it still in service by ~2002 when I last saw it lit, would have thought lamp availability would have killed it off long before that.

It's a lot closer than anything else I've ever seen though!

[LightBulbFun]

50 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Holy hell that's expensive - but yeah, useful to see that the Thorn Escort form factor did officially exist in SOX form.

The one I saw had an incandescent lamp in the dead space below the main lamp holder - but I've no idea what form factor that was - can't have been a massively high wattage given the proximity of the plastic diffuser. Possible it was based around a slightly longer chassis too.  Though not sure where that would fit in the range.

The other possibility which springs to mind is that it might have been based around a 10W SOX - though given how poorly that did I'd have been surprised to see it still in service by ~2002 when I last saw it lit, would have thought lamp availability would have killed it off long before that.

It's a lot closer than anything else I've ever seen though!

Yeah, I vaguely recall a fellow collector found some on the side of a building as well, of the "regular" SOX type tho, not sure what became of those in the end

Yeah I was wondering if the version you saw with the incandescent lamp was based on the 13W T5 version of the Thorn Escort? (which did exist Dave G has one )  which would provide a bit of extra space for a incandescent lamp, although yeah I was thinking anything high wattage or Gas filled even sounds like a recipe for a melty diffuser 

(sadly, any sort of 18W SOX fixture these days seems go for £LOL money which is a shame, as id quite like to add one to the collection some day LOL but I digress)

 

[somewhatfoolish]

On 5/8/2021 at 3:45 PM, Zelandeth said:

I've got a copy of the program saved locally here.  I'll try to chuck it somewhere accessible later and will drop you a link. 

Sadly it seems like most of the archive footage from this project the BBC has has been contributed by the general public who were involved at the time, at least when we last enquired shortly after we moved in they said they didn't have anything in the archives relating to Homeworld 81 or their involvement in this house's construction and the subsequent system testing over the next few years.

Sounds like they were just fobbing you off as archive searching even if indexed properly is time-consuming/pricy; pity inanimate objects can't do subject access requests.

[Zelandeth]

4 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

Yeah, I vaguely recall a fellow collector found some on the side of a building as well, of the "regular" SOX type tho, not sure what became of those in the end

Yeah I was wondering if the version you saw with the incandescent lamp was based on the 13W T5 version of the Thorn Escort? (which did exist Dave G has one )  which would provide a bit of extra space for a incandescent lamp, although yeah I was thinking anything high wattage or Gas filled even sounds like a recipe for a melty diffuser 

(sadly, any sort of 18W SOX fixture these days seems go for £LOL money which is a shame, as id quite like to add one to the collection some day LOL but I digress)

 

13W length wise would probably be about right.

Have to wonder if a 10W 2D would have fit rather than an incandescent lamp?  I never actually saw the white light switch on - didn't even know it was there until it was on one day when I walked past.

Suspect something fairly low wattage like a 40W GLS was the answer though.

[Floatylight]

On 5/10/2021 at 12:15 PM, Zelandeth said:

PM with link sent.

Cheers Zel really interesting but surprised you didn't drive round and round the estate in TPA whilst they were filming..

I did notice in the most recent long piece one of the guys of the original project said something like "look at all the cars!" Whilst gesticulating across the road - I assume they were stood outside yours...

Great stuff though, really interesting - love the FIAT home power station...

[Zelandeth]

Had to say it didn't I? 

Mentioned the other day that the charging system on the Jag had been behaving itself lately.

Oops.

Sorted itself out after a couple of minutes, but something is obviously still amiss.

[Jikovron]

The gauge seems to think that's OK, wonder if the odd momentary 12v is considered lucas grade normal 🤔

[Zelandeth]

Really not much to report, though despite the weather I did manage to get TPA out for a run today when I had to go out and collect a couple of things.

I need to take a look at the idle adjustment as it is definitely a little on the high side.  Not sure if the throttle cable just needs a little more slack in the adjustment or if the idle screw on the carb actually needs adjusting.  It's one of those things that I keep remembering every time I have the car out, but immediately forget to actually get as far as doing when I get back home.

[Zelandeth]

Finally got this thing nearly ready to go back to its owner.

Note the word nearly.  I don't mean needing to get that last bit of vacuum hose off either.

I have been obsessively careful about keeping everything together in that box when not actually in the cleaner.  However can I find the bloody linkage that goes between the throttle butterfly and needle lift mechanism?  Can I hell. 

I failed to clock that there is quite a gap in the bottom of the box so I'm thinking it may have escaped from there when being carried to and from the spot I'd been keeping it.

I'll get the Invacar out and turn every square millimetre of the garage upside down until I find the sodding thing at the weekend if I am given a chance.

I'm utterly livid with myself as when working on kit that doesn't belong to me I always put loose components into labelled Ziploc bags as soon as they're removed...but had run out of bags when starting this so just went with keeping things together in the box.  Of course this has now come back to bite me on the ass.

If it was mine then fair enough.  But having potentially lost a part belonging to somebody else is absolutely unforgivably careless.  It's bad enough that it's taken me half this long to get it cleaned and reassembled.

*Hopefully* with the car out of the way it will be conspicuously sitting on the floor in the garage.   It bloody better be.  Though the thing hasn't been anywhere else so I don't know where else it could be!

You would not believe how annoyed with myself I am right now.

[LightBulbFun]

9 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Finally got this thing nearly ready to go back to its owner.

Note the word nearly.  I don't mean needing to get that last bit of vacuum hose off either.

I have been obsessively careful about keeping everything together in that box when not actually in the cleaner.  However can I find the bloody linkage that goes between the throttle butterfly and needle lift mechanism?  Can I hell. 

I failed to clock that there is quite a gap in the bottom of the box so I'm thinking it may have escaped from there when being carried to and from the spot I'd been keeping it.

I'll get the Invacar out and turn every square millimetre of the garage upside down until I find the sodding thing at the weekend if I am given a chance.

I'm utterly livid with myself as when working on kit that doesn't belong to me I always put loose components into labelled Ziploc bags as soon as they're removed...but had run out of bags when starting this so just went with keeping things together in the box.  Of course this has now come back to bite me on the ass.

If it was mine then fair enough.  But having potentially lost a part belonging to somebody else is absolutely unforgivably careless.  It's bad enough that it's taken me half this long to get it cleaned and reassembled.

*Hopefully* with the car out of the way it will be conspicuously sitting on the floor in the garage.   It bloody better be.  Though the thing hasn't been anywhere else so I don't know where else it could be!

You would not believe how annoyed with myself I am right now.

is it magnetic? 

probably teaching you something you knew 20 years ago

but might be worth sticking a hard drive (or other suitably powerful) magnet on the end of a stick and scanning the floor with it to see if you can pick it up that way  

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

is it magnetic? 

probably teaching you something you knew 20 years ago

but might be worth sticking a hard drive (or other suitably powerful) magnet on the end of a stick and scanning the floor with it to see if you can pick it up that way  

If it's on the floor once the car is out of the way it'll be obvious enough.  I swept the garage out a few weeks ago so it's not bad down there.

Most likely alternative if not there is that it's dropped out of the box into the one below it in the stack it was sitting on - so I'll just need to deconstruct that until it turns up.

[bobdisk]

@Zelandeth Not sure which part you mean, If it is what I think you mean, there is no mechanical connection between the piston lift pin and butterfly. 

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/books/pdf/Tuning_SU_Carburetors.pdf

Pages 12 to 17. Is it item 7 (or 10) in page 13 ? Might not have been there to start with. If the circlip , either item 8 and therefore spring, item 9 , is missing or loose it can fall out. ask me how I know !!😝!!

Or is it on page 15, part 6, the cam that moves the butterfly for higher idling when the choke is on ?

[Zelandeth]

Ah, so I may be looking for something that doesn't exist... I'll take a closer look later when I have it in front of me. 

Just had it in my head there was an external linkage between the two.

 

[Six-cylinder]

Missing parts seems to be the story of this cars life.

This is what I bought for it.

[bobdisk]

This is the area I suspect is the problem area.  The cable on the left is the choke, the adjustment against its cam is the fast idle, when the choke is on. The cable on the right is the throttle and the adjustment in the body casting is the normal idle.  The piston lift pin is the other side.  

[Zelandeth]

3 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Missing parts seems to be the story of this cars life.

This is what I bought for it.

Thanks for posting that, shows me that I haven't lost anything!  Just need to get that last bit of vacuum line off and reattach the throttle return spring then and it will be back to as delivered-but-cleaner condition.

I did manage to sort out the one stripped stud by spacing it out so the nut was on the good bit of thread, might be something you'll want to tidy up in the future though.

[Zelandeth]

Right, this is now all back together and ready to be returned home.

I'll arrange a convenient day/time to drop it off shortly.

I would have liked to give the outside of the manifold a good blast with the pressure washer to get rid of the flaky paint but as it died a couple of weeks ago and hasn't yet been replaced that wasn't an option.

The inside of the carb wasn't really too bad to be honest save for a lot of scale in the float bowl.  Hopefully once the dashpot is topped up and it's installed in the car it will work fine.

No photos but I spent a good two hours today adding more hooks to the garage walls and moving things which could be hung from them off the floor.  Hopefully should reduce the frequency with which I knock stuff over a bit.

[barrett]

Hey @Zelandeth did you get my message about the FREE BX interior just up the road from you? I need to give the guy an answer so please let me know if you're interested

[Zelandeth]

Had totally missed that message, have replied now!

[Fumbler]

https://citroencarclub.org.uk/club-events/the-chevrons-rally/

Chevrons rally has been given the go-ahead. Quite far away but I'm sure they'd be delighted with a beige BX turning up.

[Zelandeth]

Had a quick run out today to drop the cleaned carb and manifold back off and to run a few errands.  First time I think I've had a proper chat with anyone since before lockdown 1.0.

 

Managed to dodge the worst of the weather at least...

What you can't tell from the framing there is there are horrendous looking storm clouds just out of frame in all directions!

[Fumbler]

1 hour ago, Fumbler said:

https://citroencarclub.org.uk/club-events/the-chevrons-rally/

Chevrons rally has been given the go-ahead. Quite far away but I'm sure they'd be delighted with a beige BX turning up.

With that said (and on a date in which I can go), there also is the CCC National Rally near Cambridge:
https://citroencarclub.org.uk/club-events/the-ccc-national-rally/

[Zelandeth]

4 hours ago, Fumbler said:

With that said (and on a date in which I can go), there also is the CCC National Rally near Cambridge:
https://citroencarclub.org.uk/club-events/the-ccc-national-rally/

I really do need to get my finger out with the BX to be honest.  She's a steering rack boot and a couple of hydraulic lines away from being taken for an MOT I reckon.  Sure it'll fail on a few things given how long she's been off the road - was originally thinking I'd do the patch on the sill first, but am actually leaning towards just taking her for the test first and seeing what list I wind up with first - the welding I KNOW OF is a pretty easy repair...but if there's more needed elsewhere I'd really rather only have to haul the welder and all the associated paraphernalia out of the back of the garage once and do it all in one pass.  She seems to be actually *running* reasonably well now, and even the brakes seem to work well despite there being a hole in the nearside rear line.

Stuff I know she needs:

[] Patch on NSR sill in the door closure.

[] Steering rack gaiter.

[] Rear brake lines (I'm assuming the offside one isn't going to be any better than the on that's failed so planning on doing both.

[] Clonk from OSF suggests there's a drop link or balljoint needing changed.

[] Speedometer currently doesn't work.

Sure the trip to the test station (about five miles) will turn up a bunch more given she's been off the road longer than some members here have probably been alive.

I'm really looking forward to actually properly driving the car...I can see her being a keeper to be honest as she's just so, so comfy.

Whether or not she sticks around on fleet I would really, really like to get her to at least a show or two first.

EDIT: Just added the latest fuel up for TPA to my Fuelly account - 37.6MPG.  That's definitely getting better.

Some people have commented on using a service like Fuelly before...especially with things like the Jag.  The point is though that other than curiosity I don't really mind what the actual numbers are, but I find seeing what the trend is doing over time to be a useful tool to see if there's something amiss that might need attention - especially for things like the van which I don't fuel up all that frequently or the Xantia which has a big enough tank that you might not notice a drop of a couple of MPG in economy.

Without doubt, TPA is the most fuel efficient car I own just now though that's on the road...the BX I reckon may well take that crown though once she's driving.

[Fumbler]

6 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

[] Steering rack gaiter.

 

I may have one that fits, assuming steering racks are the same. Last time I looked, the ones on the vehicle were new so I wouldn't lose any sleep giving my spare one away to a good cause.

Could the spedometer drum cable snapped off somewhere?

[Zelandeth]

Just now, Fumbler said:

I may have one that fits, assuming steering racks are the same. Last time I looked, the ones on the vehicle were new so I wouldn't lose any sleep giving my spare one away to a good cause.

Could the spedometer drum cable snapped off somewhere?

I'd definitely not say no if you don't mind!

I need to check the speedo situation - the cable was unhooked at the dash end when the car arrived but I've not checked whether the cable spins when the wheels turn.  Hoping the mech in the dash is just sticky (there's a 90 degree angle drive between the speedo head and the display drum if I remember right) as that would be far less hassle to sort...especially as I need to pull the instrument panel apart for a bloody good clean at the very least anyway.

[Fumbler]

Just now, Zelandeth said:

I'd definitely not say no if you don't mind!

I need to check the speedo situation - the cable was unhooked at the dash end when the car arrived but I've not checked whether the cable spins when the wheels turn.  Hoping the mech in the dash is just sticky (there's a 90 degree angle drive between the speedo head and the display drum if I remember right) as that would be far less hassle to sort...especially as I need to pull the instrument panel apart for a bloody good clean at the very least anyway.

Remind me when I'm home on Friday. I'll try and fish it out of my massive box of spares as soon as I can.

[LightBulbFun]

4 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Had a quick run out today to drop the cleaned carb and manifold back off and to run a few errands.  First time I think I've had a proper chat with anyone since before lockdown 1.0.

 

Managed to dodge the worst of the weather at least...

What you can't tell from the framing there is there are horrendous looking storm clouds just out of frame in all directions!

lovely to see TPA continued to be taken out and about despite the automotive Tetris required to take her out!

you may not* get pictured much out and about by others but I think the locals are starting to notice  

as I came across a recent comment on the internet where someone mentioned theres someone in Milton Keynes who runs around in one

now I wonder who that could be  

 

*amusingly just before I went to post this post I decided to see if I could find said comment when I just noticed this tweet!

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

15 hours ago, Fumbler said:

https://citroencarclub.org.uk/club-events/the-chevrons-rally/

Chevrons rally has been given the go-ahead. Quite far away but I'm sure they'd be delighted with a beige BX turning up.

....or indeed anything with a leak....

[Zelandeth]

New trick by the Xantia today...noted a very distinct trail of fluid from where it was parked when I moved it to mow the lawn earlier today - to the extent I went investigating in case I had a leak.

Apparently there was a significant amount of water trapped behind the rubbing strips on both offside doors.  Not *in* the doors, I did check the drain holes were clear.  Never had that happen to this extent before!  There ended up being enough water there that it had run a good car length or so down the road when I came back to park up again.